Kings maintain confidence after Game 5 loss to Devils stalls any sort of celebration

The Los Angeles Kings’ dwindling power could be felt in degrees last night: Break-free chances wasted. A booming drive ringing off the post. Shooting and passing lanes sealed off. And most unlikely, their goalie, Jonathan Quick, smooth like a thief, caught in a rare stumble.

Turns out these are tantalizing hours for the Kings, their mighty hold on the Stanley Cup Finals nearly gone now with Saturday night’s 2-1 loss to the Devils.

The Kings may well have thought, finally, they had no more use for their role as the unwelcome visitor. Ten straight road victories in the postseason, and a 15-3 record overall, had given them the aura of the It team, determined to stake out a piece of destiny.

Instead, the minutes ticked off last night with the Devils fans freed now to chant, “Beat L.A.!” Another celebration was canceled, placing perspective at a premium in the Kings locker room a short time later. Their world, they said, had not been rocked.

“Just another test,” Jordan Nolan said.

In 45 years, 592 players have played for the Kings, and none had yet been in this position — waiting, the Stanley Cup in reach. Basic math still works for them, even with their lead in the series cut to 3-2. Only the 1942 Detroit Red Wings have ever squandered a 3-0 lead in the Finals, losing to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Back west they go, not wanting to become That team, the one that never got to celebrate after all.

In the past few days, the Kings had faced a new round of numbing rituals — another cross-country plane voyage, a couple more practices — and the creeping idea that the Devils must be denied before the whole equation gets out of whack.

In returning to New Jersey, many of the Kings had brought their families with them. In the corridor outside their locker room, the players were greeted by loved ones putting a consoling hand on their shoulders.

Jeff Carter could be heard saying, “We’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

Game 5 was little more than a minute along when the Kings’ Justin Williams hit the post. While Martin Brodeur seemed to grow stronger, Quick began to look like less than himself.

A shot trickled between Quick’s pads with about nine minutes gone in the first period. The puck loitered just behind Quick before a teammate swept it away. It must have been a preposterous sight for his teammates then, when only 90 seconds later, Quick, in a freewheeling mood, roamed to one side of the net to pass to his defenseman, Drew Doughty.

The puck never got to Doughty. Zach Parise intercepted it and pushed it past Quick, who did not quite get back into position. Williams then tied the score 3:26 into the second period, but Bryce Salvador put the Devils back ahead about six minutes later, helped when David Clarkson obscured Quick’s view.

The Kings’ practice yesterday morning at the Prudential Center suggested they know the scouting report on their own goalie, Quick. If he has any weakness, it’s the glove side, high. He faced roughly three dozen shots to that corner of the net in practice and didn’t miss one.

That’s where Salvador placed his goal, proving nothing is sure as it seemed just the other day.